A Comparative Quantitative Study of Kinin-Releasing and Kinin-Degrading Enzymatic Activities in Snake Venoms

Abstract

Kinin-releasing (kininogenase) and kinin-degrading (kininase) activities of a number of crotalid viperid and elapid venoms were measured with the aid of a kinin radioimmunoassay. A titrimetric assay using an arginine ester or a tyrosine ester was utilised to measure trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like activities respectively. The crotalid and viperid venoms contained a wide range of these enzymatic activities but none of the elapid venoms tested showed such activities.